


Reminiscing

by VanillaHorizon



Series: Natevember 2020 [4]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: F/M, Gen, Light Angst, Natevember 2020, natevember
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:40:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27726959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VanillaHorizon/pseuds/VanillaHorizon
Summary: Inside the walls of the great Vigil's Keep sets a secret garden, a garden tied to Nate's past.Day four of Natevember(Rated teen and up for adult language)
Relationships: Female Cousland & Nathaniel Howe, Female Cousland/Nathaniel Howe, Nathaniel Howe & Mahariel
Series: Natevember 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2028047
Kudos: 5





	Reminiscing

**Author's Note:**

> I'll edit these later probably.  
> Prompt: Carve

After almost an entire week of being underground, Nate was quite relieved to have heard Avery say three words in response to being asked if the wardens had any business to see to the next day.

The Dalish man had said "No damn way" followed by what Nate could only assume were a string of dalish curse words, something along the lines of someones crazy dwarven wife, a herd of stone bastards trying to kill a Qunari and then finally something about a paragon jumping into a lava pit before walking away with a shake of his head.

Nate was beyond grateful when he finally had a chance to explore Vigils Keep.

Even though he hadn't been there in nearly two entire decades, he still remembered the old pathways that no one else seemed to ever use that lead to what he used to call the secret courtyard, though Elissa had always called it a garden instead since it was home to a great many rose bushes and trees.

Now since he was older, he knew why it was actually so untended and wild the last time he had snuck away with Elissa there.

It was once his mother's favorite place to spend her days, but had quickly been left in a state of disrepair by his father after she had died.

Once he stepped through the small, almost hidden archway, he was surprised to find the roses had all been clipped and tended to, along with a small bench having been added since the last time he saw the almost sacred place.

Urging himself out of his frozen stupor, he finally inhaled the unmistakably floral scent that he had been missing ever since his father sent him away all those years ago.

Once upon a time, he had connected that scent to vague childhood memories of his mother since she always seemed to smell like the roses she so tended in secret, but as years passed, he started to make new memories with Elissa in the very same garden which he had started to connect that very same scent to, granted he would never tell anyone such a thing.

A memory soon surfaced of one of the very first times he had ever showed her this place.

***

"Nathaniel, where are we going?"

"I just want to show you something, El."

"Hush, someone might hear you calling me that- I don't want you to get in trouble."

He shook his head as he grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her through the archway.

He halted his steps only a few moments later as he almost effortlessly twirled her around to stand in front of him with her back to his chest and his arms wrapped securely around her.

"It's a garden?" she asked curiously.

"I think of it as more of a courtyard, but I suppose you could call it a garden if you wanted to call it that."

She slipped out of his grasp to turn around and truly take in the view around them.

"Courtyards don't smell like roses, so yes I'm calling it a garden."

"Fair enough," he conceded as he glanced over to find her closely examining a nearby yellow rose bush.

"You know, I think I like coming here because of the scent of roses, I've always like that smell for some reason," he admitted.

She nodded an affirmation and the memory seemingly slipped away after that.

If he had paid any attention when he was young, he would've noticed the correlation that the next time after that day when he got to see Elissa that she had started to use rosewater perfume.

Scoffing at himself, he silently scolded his youngerself's obvious stupidity.

He was unsure wheter it was pure ignorance on his part, or just the fact that he was so lovestruck that he was completely blind to how much she seemed to also care for him at the time.

Shaking his head sadly, he continued to walk along the aged stone pathway without a destignation in mind.

Eventually, he had completely lost track of time while he remonised among the dozens of trees and rose bushes of this almost sacred garden.

The sun had even started to settle beyond the horizon by the time anyone found him.

"Oh, what are you doing here?" Avery questioned once he noticed his fellow rogue sitting beside one of the trees he himself often settled under when he wanted to relax away from wandering eyes.

Nate glanced up at the elf for a moment before looking back down at the base of the tree.

"I used to spend a majority of my time here, I imagine since you know about this place that you're the one responsible for its restoration." it wasn't a question but Avery nodded anyway.

"I guess that means that N.H. is meant to be you then," he said as he motioned toward the carved initials beside Nate.

He nodded sadly, "I carved them in this tree just before I left Fereldan," he admitted.

Avery slowly lowered himself to the ground beside his fellow rouge and took a closer look at the carving.

"If you're N.H. then who does the second set of initials belong to?"

Avery noticed the sad look in the archer's eyes as soon as the question left his mouth.

"Elissa Cousland, she was the first woman I ever loved."

" _Was_?"

"My sister told me that she believes my father killed her along with most everyone else in Highever during the siege."

Avery's eyes widened at this new information.

"Oh, I didn't- I'm sorry for your loss Nathaniel."

"I should probably thank you for unwittingly avenging her death I suppose."

Unsure of what he should say in response, Avery simply shook his head.

"You know, if you were to tell Velanna that you carved your initials into a tree with a woman's that she would think you were married, right?" Avery asked after a few moments.

This prompted Nate to let out a deep chuckle, "Why would she think that?"

Avery shrugged, "Apparently, it's something her clan used to do once a couple would promise their lives to one another."

Nate couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at this.

"My clan didn't do anything like that obviously, otherwise that would've probably been my first thought too."

A silence settled over them as the usual daily sounds of the keep started to fade away for the day, signaling guards were switching out for the night and Wade's forge was starting to cool.

"If I would've had my way I would've married her and even knowing what happened that night, I would've willingly died with her at the hands of my father's men in order to just be near her in her last moments."

"That's true loyalty, but if you don't mind me asking- why _didn't_ you marry her?"

"My father sent me away before I could ever gather the courage to ask."

Avery nodded in response.

"In my opinion, it's better to have been in love once than never at all, even if it didn't last."

This comment caused Nate to turn his attention fully toward the elf.

"Why does it feel like you know that from personal experience."

"Because I do, now come on, it's getting late, and cold and I'm also getting hungry."

Nate let out a soft laugh and shook his head as he stood from his place on the ground, extending his hand to Avery once he was standing.

"Let's get you inside then, I'm sure we can find you something to eat in the kitchens."

**Author's Note:**

> Unfortunately I could not post all of the prompts I had done. Oh well, please enjoy this one anyway.


End file.
